Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation allows one who knows it to subjugate the souls of all beings in the universe. No being is immune to the effects. For this reason, acquiring the equation is the utmost goal of Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips. Very little has been confirmed of the Anti-Life equation. What is known is that a key part of the equation is held within the subconsciousness of the human misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment n = y, y = hope, n = folly, love = lies, life = death, self = dark side The Anti-Life Equation is a formula that saps beings of their free will through an equation that makes life, hope and freedom irrefutably pointless.Sound more like Try to figure Jack Kirby's New Gods Forthe World Equation. presents the Anti-Life Equation to Darkseid.]] , "Alive!"}} The Anti-Life Equation was an equation containing great power that could dominate all life. History Headline text Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips, constantly sought the Anti-Life Equation, believing that it would give him the power to conquer the universe. When Darkseid attacked Earth in retaliation for his death at Superman's hands, Metron took Lex Luthor to the Source Wall, beyond which lay the Anti-Life Equation. He warned Luthor that only a 12th level intellect could solve it and hope to survive, to which Luthor cockily replied that he was "over-qualified". Returning to Earth, Luthor presented it to Darkseid, which unleashed a massive amount of energy that appeared to destroy them both. Before they disappeared, Darkseid remarked that the Anti-Life Equation was "beautiful", and Luthor agreed.Idem, "Destroyer" Background information In the DC comics, the Anti-Life Equation is a theory developed by Darkseid after he learned of the Martian concept of the "Life Equation". Supposedly, the Anti-Life Equation mathematically proves that hope, love, and freedom are all meaningless and effectively destroys a person's free will. Darkseid finally succeeded in figuring out the Anti-Life Equation, and tried to release it over the Internet during the Final Crisis. Although it is not made clear in "Destroyer" what happens to Luthor and Darkseid, Dwayne McDuffie has stated that they were both absorbed into the Source Wall.Dwayne McDuffie.com Sightings and references * "Apokolips... Now!" * "Twilight" * "Alive! * "Destroyer" References External links * * ---- DC COMICS DATABASE . Most stories featuring the Equation use this concept. A full version of the equation supposedly existed in the mind of the millionaire "Billion Dollar" Bates, but he took it to his death. *In Jim Starlin's miniseries Cosmic Odyssey, the Anti-Life Equation is revealed as a living entity, which even Darkseid cannot control, and is subsequently blocked from ever entering the Milky Way again by Doctor Fate. This version has not been referred to again. *The JLA story Rock of Ages (1997), by Grant Morrison, includes a future in which Darkseid has learned the Anti-Life Equation, and taken control of both New Genesis and Earth. Earth's population is kept submissive by a constant broadcast of the Equation. *In JLA Annual #2, written by Ty Templeton, Felix Faust explains that an ancient sorcerer, maddened by his resurrection, plans a spell that will "remove the life frequency from the universe". Superman calls this the Anti-Life Equation. *During the Emperor Joker storyline, in Superman: Emperor Joker (2000), the Joker gains control of the power of Mister Mxyzptlk. Darkseid himself states about this that the Joker has stumbled onto the Anti-Life Equation, which might imply that the Anti-Life Equation may have something to do with the power wielded by the 5D imps such as Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, perhaps even that the imps are able to perform their reality-defying pranks simply because they know the Anti-Life Equation. *In Walt Simonson's Orion (2001), it is revealed that Darkseid and Desaad have gained the Equation from clones of Billion Dollar Bates. In stopping them Orion learned the Equation, and tried to use it to make people happy and good, but realised that the supression of free will is always a bad thing. It was later revealed that Mister Miracle knows the formula, but is one of the few with the willpower not to use it. *John Ostrander's Martian Manhunter series (2001) revealed that, long ago, Darkseid learned of the Martian philosophy that free will could be described by a "Life Equation". This led him to consider that there must be a negative corollary to this equation. *In the World's Funnest Elseworlds one-shot (2001), created by Evan Dorkin and a variety of artists, a conflict between Bat-Mite and Mister Mxyzptlk inadvertently destroys the DCU (including many Pre-Crisis worlds). When they destroy Apokolips the sole survivor is Darkseid who is left floating in space with a piece of paper with the equation drawn on it; The paper has a diagram to the effect of "Mister Mxyzptlk + Bat-Mite = Anti-life". This causes Darkseid to laugh uncontrollably. *In Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle (2005), by Grant Morrison, Darkseid (or Dark Side, as he now calls himself) has gained full control of the Anti-Life Equation. By speaking, he can insert the full formula into people's minds, giving them the mathematical certainty that life, hope and freedom are all pointless. Shilo Norman (the current Mister Miracle) is able to break free from this with the help of Metron. However, it was implied that these events did not happen in the main reality, but in a tangent universe inside a black hole. *In the animated series Justice League Unlimited, during an assault on Earth by Darkseid and the armies of Apokolips, Lex Luthor is taken into The Source by Metron. Just as Darkseid is on the verge of killing Superman, Lex Luthor returns from The Source and reveals the Anti-Life Equation, shown as a glowing, swirling light in the palm of his hand, to Darkseid. Darkseid places a hand over the glow, Lex places a hand on Darkseid's hand, both agreeing that the equation "is beautiful", and they both disappear. It is not known what happened to either Lex Luthor or Darkseid. *In the film, Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe, starring Jesse Ventura, the villain Secundus (Sven-Ole Thorsen) sought the use of the Anti-Life Equation (which apparently possessed the same significance as its DC counterpart). The film also featured an Answer Box, a device similar to a Mother Box. * In the Elseworlds story Superman: The Dark Side (1998) Darkseid raises Kal-El as his own (evil) son and later finds that Krypton had been in possession of the Anti-Life Equation before it was destroyed and Jor-El had sent it with his son so that he could use it to subjugate Earth and create a new Krypton. Naturally Darkseid finds it and builds a series of towers which broadcast "...the ANTI-LIFE EQUATION which obliterates free will and individual identity". | Trivia = | Links = }} The Anti-Life Equation is a fictional equation that serves as an ill thoughout MacGuffin in comic books published by DC Comics, most notably those featuring the supervillain Darkseid as an antagonist. In the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of sentient beings, that is sought by Darkseid, who, for this reason, sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the human subconscious. Various comics have defined the equation in different ways, but a common interpretation seems to be that the equation is a mathematical proof of the futility of living. Fictional history Jack Kirby's original comics established the Anti-Life Equation as giving the being who learns it power to dominate the will of all sentient and sapient races. It is called the Anti-Life Equation because "if someone possesses absolute control over you - you're not really alive."Forever People #5 Most stories featuring the Equation use this concept. A full version of the Equation supposedly existed in the mind of the billionaire "Billion Dollar" Bates, but he took it to his death. The Forever People's Mother Box found the Anti-Life Equation in Sonny Sumo, but Darkseid, unaware of this, stranded him in ancient Japan. When Metron and Swamp Thing attempt to breach the source, which drives Swamp Thing temporarily mad, Darkseid discovers that part of the formula is love.Swamp Thing #62 Upon being told by the Dominators of their planned invasion of Earth, Darkseid promises not to interfere on the condition that planet is not destroyed so his quest for the equation is not thwarted.Invasion! #1 It is later revealed in Martian Manhunter vol.2 #33, that Darkseid first became aware of the equation approximately 300 years ago when he made contact with the people of Mars. Upon learning of the Martian philosophy that free will and spiritual purpose could be defined by a "Life Equation", Darkseid postulated that there must exist a negative equivalent. In Walt Simonson's Orion (2001), it is revealed that Darkseid and Desaad have gained the Equation from clones of Billion Dollar Bates. In stopping them Orion learned the Equation, and tried to use it to make people happy and good, but decided that the suppression of free will is always a bad thing. It was later revealed that Mister Miracle knows the formula, but is one of the few with the willpower not to use it. During the series Young Justice, it was stated that the mystical heroine Empress holds within her a piece of an Anti-Life Equation, which allows her to control the minds of others to limited extents. Countdown to Final Crisis #10 reveals that the Pied Piper also contained the equation within his mind and can manifest it through music. Desaad attempts to use Piper as his pawn to help him destroy Brother Eye and Darkseid so that he could rule Apokolips. During the Final Crisis, Darkseid's plan comes to fruition even without Pied Piper's help. In fact, using the "spoken form" of the Anti-Life, Darkseid (reborn after his death as "Boss Dark Side" on Earth) is able to rebuild a strong power base on Earth. By having Mokkari unleash the Anti-Life Equation through the internet by E-Mail, it turned those exposed to it into his mindless slaves. Libra used the Anti-Life Equation to turn several members of his Secret Society of Super Villains into Justifiers while some of Earth's superheroines and supervillainesses were converted into new versions of the Female Furies. It was revealed that the equation can be countered by drawing the New Genesis word for "freedom" on one's face. Also, Doctor Sivana invented a device that allowed Lex Luthor to wrest control of the Equation-controlled Justifiers from Libra and Darkseid. In Terror Titans #4, it is revealed that because of the brain's status as an electromagnetic organ, Static is immune to the Equation's effects. In Final Crisis #7, Wonder Woman breaks the Equation's hold over the people of Earth by binding Darkseid's body with the Lasso of Truth. After Darkseid's disappearance, the Calculator tasks himself with the role of tracking down the fragments of the Equation left in the Internet, which had taken the appearance of floating diamonds in Alta Viva, an in-universe multi-player online game similar to Second Life. By having real diamonds cut in the shape of the virtual ones, the Calculator hopes to harness and restore its power for himself.Oracle: The Cure #1-3 'Interpretations of the Equation' Over the years, the Anti-Life Equation has changed as various writers have offered their own definitions of the concept. In Jim Starlin's mini-series Cosmic Odyssey, the Anti-Life Equation is revealed as a living shadow-based deity that corrupts and destroys everything it touches. This revelation shocks even Darkseid, who teams up with the New Gods and a group of superheroes from Earth to stop the Anti-Life Equation entity, ultimately destroying it. This interpretation would be controversial .Starl in seems stuck in a stuck on stupid rut. The Anti-Life Equation Entity would be retconned as a creature who had been mislabeled as far as having anything to do with the Anti-Life Equation. In Issue #4 of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series, the demon Choronzon mimics the form of 'Anti-Life' when challenging Dream to 'the Oldest Game' - a battle of wits in which the two must define increasingly powerful entities in turn. Attempting to end the game, Chronozon states "I am Anti-Life, the beast of judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds...of everything", at which point he takes on the appearance of a large, blank face against a white background. Dream counters this by proclaiming "I am hope".The Sandman issue #4 The most current incarnation was established in the 2005 Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle mini-series, written by Grant Morrison. In it Darkseid (or Dark Side, as he was calling himself) gained full control of the Anti-Life Equation, which is revealed to be: loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side By speaking said equation, Darkseid can insert the full formula into people's minds, giving them the mathematical certainty that life, hope and freedom are all pointless. According to Oracle, who barely escaped the "full" effects of the Equation by shutting down the entire Internet just in time, the Anti-Life Equation further states that the only point in anything is to conform to Darkseid's will.Grant Morrison (w), J.G. Jones, Carlos Pacheco (p), J.G. Jones, Jesus Merino (i). "Darkseid Says". Final Crisis issue #4 of 7. November 2008. DC Comics. Shilo Norman (the current Mister Miracle) is able to break free from this with the help of Metron, gaining immunity from the Equation in the process. He passes this immunity to his allies by drawing a specific pattern (the pattern is shown to be the New Genesis word for freedom) on their face. Barry Allen has shown to be able to free an individual from the equation using the Speed Force (his wife, with a kiss). When Jim Starlin returned to writing the New Gods in 2007's Death of the New Gods mini-series, the retcon was revised, with the Anti-Life Equation Entity being revealed to be one-half of a cosmic being that was split into two by the war of the old gods (the other half of the cosmic entity being the Source).Same old Jim Starlin crap. In a text page published in "Final Crisis Secret Files", Grant Morrison attempts to reconcile the Starlin version of the Anti-Life Equation with his own version, by suggesting that the Equation is indeed sentient (as Starlin suggests) and that even after "mastering" the Equation, Darkseid still does not understand the true horrific nature of what the Anti-Life Equation is and its relationship with the Source. During the Emperor Joker storyline, the Joker gains control of the power of Mister Mxyzptlk. Darkseid himself states about this that the Joker has stumbled onto the Anti-Life Equation, which could be referenced to a previous story ("World's Funnest"). Alternate realities = * The JLA story Rock of Ages (1997), by Grant Morrison, includes a future in which Darkseid has learned the Anti-Life Equation, and taken control of both New Genesis and Earth. Earth's population is kept submissive by a constant broadcast of the Equation. * * In the Elseworlds graphic novel Superman: The Dark Side (1998) Darkseid raises Kal-El as his own (evil) son and later finds that Krypton had been in possession of the Anti-Life Equation before it was destroyed and Jor-El had sent it with his son so that he could use it to subjugate Earth and create a new Krypton. Naturally Darkseid finds it and builds a series of towers which broadcast "...the ANTI-LIFE EQUATION which obliterates free will and individual identity". * * In the World's Funnest Elseworlds one-shot (2001), created by Evan Dorkin and a variety of artists, a conflict between Bat-Mite and Mister Mxyzptlk inadvertently destroys the DCU (including many pre-crisis worlds). When they destroy Apokolips the sole survivor is Darkseid who is left floating in space with a piece of paper with the equation drawn on it; The paper has a diagram to the effect of "Mister Mxyzptlk + Bat-Mite = Anti-life". This causes Darkseid to die laughing. * * =Other media = Television DC Animated Universe * In Superman: The Animated Series episode "Apokolips...Now!, Part 1", Orion arrives to Earth and uses his Mother Box, to explain to Superman about Apokolips, and its ruler, Darkseid. During its explanation, Mother Box spoke of how Darkseid was after the Anti-Life Equation, which was said to give him great power. * * In the Justice League episode "Twilight", Darkseid hacks into the systems of Brainiac, with potentially catastrophic results. As he explains to the captured Superman, this will give him the solution to the Anti-Life Equation, allowing him to destroy the universe and rebuild it - this time in his own image. * * In Justice League Unlimited's final episode, "Destroyer", during an assault on Earth by Darkseid and the armies of Apokolips, Lex Luthor is taken into The Source by Metron. Just as Darkseid ensnares Superman in a powerful, agony-inducing net, Lex Luthor returns from The Source and reveals the Anti-Life Equation, shown as a glowing, swirling light in the palm of his hand, to Darkseid. Darkseid places a hand over the glow, Lex places a hand on Darkseid's hand, both agreeing that the equation "is beautiful", and they both disappear. It is not known what happened to either Lex Luthor or Darkseid. Superman believes that they both died, but both Batman and Green Lantern doubt it, believing instead that they will both be back. Dwayne McDuffie, a writer for the show, stated that Darkseid and Luthor became a part of the Source Wall, as do all that solve the Anti-Life Equation; thus, while they are not technically dead, it is now impossible for either of them to bother anyone anymore. * Smallville * The Anti-Life Equation is briefly featured in the Smallville season 8 episode 11, "Legion". During the episode, Brainiac attempts to capture the knowledge of humanity through a computer virus; the voice echoing through the computer states "Hate plus fear plus loneliness...". * * During season 9 episode 5, "Roulette", the Anti-Life Equation was briefly referenced by Clark Kent. * The Anti-Life Equation's Omega symbol appears in the tenth and final season of Smallville. It serves as a sign when a being is influenced by Darkseid. Notable people are Orion, Slade Wilson in the episode "Patriot", and Oliver Queen in "Masquerade", and then reversed in "Finale, part * 2". References = Category:Equations Category:Fictional concepts in comics Category:Jack Kirby's Fourth World Category:DC Comics cosmic entities Category:Mind control in fiction Category:DC Comics titles Category:Science fiction themes Category:Hypothetical astronomical objects